This Police Chief Sent Out Ten Of His Officers To Find His Son’s Stolen iPhone

The first thing the vast majority of us would do in the event that our precious iPhone is stolen is load up the Find My iPhone feature within iCloud and then call the Police and tell them where the shameless thug is located, in the hope that they’ll find the time to go and recover our device. Some of us may even take matters into our own hands and try to recover it ourselves (but that’s not really recommended.)

But when Michael Meehan’s son had his iPhone stolen, he took advantage of his position as Chief of Police in Berkeley, California, and ordered ten of his officers to track it down. All off the books.

Meehan’s son had his iPhone stolen from his locker at Berkeley High School on January 11. The device had “tracking software” installed on it (presumably Find My iPhone), but it eventually stopped emitting a signal and Meehan wasn’t able to locate it. He then ordered ten (ten!) drug task force officers to locate it for him — four of whom were being paid overtime throughout the process.

So instead of catching crack dealers and crystal meth tweakers, these officers were on the lookout for an iPhone that could not be tracked. What’s worse is that not none of them filed a report about the incident.

According to a spokesperson for the department, the lack of paperwork was “an oversight that came to our attention when researching” the allegations. So, all ten officers overlooked a report.

According to the report from SFGate, this isn’t the first time Meehan’s gotten himself into hot water:

The chief has been embroiled in a controversy for sending Kusmiss to a reporter’s home after midnight in March to press for changes in a story about the Feb. 18 bludgeoning death of a Berkeley hills resident.

Meehan is being investigated by a San Francisco law firm at a cost to Berkeley of up to $25,000. The city is also paying up to an additional $24,000 to a public relations firm to review how the police handle media relations.

Deals of the Day

This is nothing new. Cops act as if, and are treated as if, they are “special” citizens that are somewhat above the law and can do what they like.

Lane Jasper

What a dildo! I’ll wipe that ….ah nevermind, Hell if I had power I’d use it too!

Daniel Nelms

I don’t know the back story but maybe there is more to it? Maybe the kid was robbed at gun point who knows?

Anyway I think the police should go out an recover things like iPhones. The fact that most stolen property is never recovered yet in the case of an iPhone/iPad it can be easily tracked by the police should be even more reason to go out an recover the device and put a thief in jail in the process!

mr_bee

I don’t know the back story but maybe there is more to it? Maybe the kid was robbed at gun point who knows?

Anyway I think the police should go out an recover things like iPhones. The fact that most stolen property is never recovered yet in the case of an iPhone/iPad it can be easily tracked by the police should be even more reason to go out an recover the device and put a thief in jail in the process!

This still doesn’t justify anything though. The police don’t actually go out and recover stolen property anymore and the circumstances of how it was taken have nothing to do with it.

This is just special treatment for police that they would not extend to use regular people no matter how you look at it.

Luis Dominguez

I don’t know the back story but maybe there is more to it? Maybe the kid was robbed at gun point who knows?

Anyway I think the police should go out an recover things like iPhones. The fact that most stolen property is never recovered yet in the case of an iPhone/iPad it can be easily tracked by the police should be even more reason to go out an recover the device and put a thief in jail in the process!

“Meehan’s son had his iPhone stolen from his locker at Berkeley High School on January 11.” This is just an abuse of power.

ApplePr0n

Abuse of power, nothing more, nothing less

taylerz

He looks like he uses crystal meth.

joewaylo

Yep. He’ll get reprimanded for that. Enforcing 10 officers to recover a stolen phone. That’s a formal reprimand and dock of pay.

Abuse of power, nothing more, nothing less

technochick

So wrong in some many ways. Aside from the whole personal use issue there’s the wasting of money looking for an item they couldn’t track and the incorrect paperwork. any of which should be grounds for a suspension, all 3 together definitely are.